Discuss the Federal Reserve's use of open-market operations to influence the money supply and the respective consequences of such actions.
This release also states that the Federal Reserve is in the process of purchasing $1.25 trillion of agency mortgage-backed securities and about $175 billion of agency debt. Additionally, the release states that the FOMC has decided to gradually reduce "the pace" of such Fed purchases. Discuss why you believe that the FOMC has made such a decision, and explain the consequences of such a decision on the economy. What are your thoughts?